Imran Khan's brief televised address on 19th February 2019 on the Pulwama terror attack provides an invaluable insight into his persona. It reveals a leader short on common decency and sensitivity, devoid of statesmanship and gravitas, and completely under the thumb of the military. Indeed, one noted Pakistani analyst on an Indian TV channel dismissed him as a low-level employee of the Pakistan Army!

The Pulwama attack has to be seen against the background of events in the wider region. On 13th February, a suicide attack on killed 27 Iranian soldiers in Sistan Balochistan province of Iran. The Iranian National Guards Corps (IRGC) ground forces commander Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour stated that the suicide bomber was a Pakistani national Hafiz Mohamed Ali. The methodology was also similar to the attack in J&K. An explosive laden car rammed into a bus carrying members of the IRGC1.

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Bin Salman (MBS) is on his Asian tour starting with Islamabad. Saudi Arabia has been a major benefactor of Pakistan and once again being driven by Pakistan PM Imran Khan he even declared himself to be the Ambassador of Pakistan in his own country and acceded to Imran’s request to release 3000 Pakistanis from the Saudi jails - an instant gratification apart from giving them several bail out packages despite the Pulwana massacre of Indian CRPF soldiers in which the Pakistan based terrorist Masood Azhar’s Jaesh-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been involved.

The 14 February Pulwama suicide bombing resulting in the death of about 40 CRPF personnel is the latest in an incessant series of horrific Pakistan terror attacks on India starting with its 1947 action in Kashmir and inter alia including Operation Gibraltar, the insurgencies inspired by it in the North East, Punjab and later Kashmir, the 1993 Mumbai blasts, the 2001 Parliament attack, 26/11, and the 2016 attacks on the Pathankot airbase and Uri army camp.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), set up in 1989 following a G-7 resolution, provides the international standards for anti-money laundering and combatting terrorist financing (AML/CFT). An Inter-governmental organisation with 38 members and two observers, the FATF is a policy making body which sets “standards and promotes effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system”.1

On October 20, 2018, US president Donald Trump had declared his administration`s intention to withdraw from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) which was signed on February 2, 1987 by one of his predecessors, Ronald Reagan and his Soviet counterpart, Mikhail Gorbachov. US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo has recently confirmed his president`s decision. The INF prohibits testing and deployment of ground-base ballistic missiles and ground-launched cruise missiles in the 500 – 5500 km range and shorter range missiles in 500 -1000 km range category.

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) is a New Delhi-based think tank set up with the collaborative efforts of India's leading security experts, diplomats, industrialists and philanthropists under the aegis of the Vivekananda Kendra. The VIF’s objective is to become a centre of excellence to kick start innovative ideas and thoughts that can lead to a stronger, secure and prosperous India playing its destined role in global affairs.